It’s been a wonderful season and we celebrate this fall harvest with Cambalache! There will be music and more vendors, and events throughout the day.

Published in Questa del Rio News, October Issue, 2021

Cambalache, Questa’s 33rd Annual Fall Harvest Festival

Staff Writers

“Cambalache began as a harvest festival (like many cultures around the world) among native peoples and later with their colonizers. The word cambiar means small-scale bartering in villages or trading places. The Village of Questa’s annual fall harvest festival celebrates this ancient tradition and combines it with another, the burning of Cucui. There are many names for burning man—Zozobra, Coco, or Coca, and there are many spellings and pronunciations, such as Cucuy, Cuco, Cuca, Cucu.”

Mr. Cucui is a mean guy, like a scarecrow. He is made of old clothes stuffed with straw, and a papier-mâché head. In his lap he holds a box labeled penas that people write down on pieces of paper, expressing their sorrows and fears. “If it’s true that Cucui is a bogeyman, we shouldn’t hold that against him—he carries all those heavy burdens and brings them to the festival. So, although he is not the perfect party guest, he is the guy who will take all your worries away. Last year’s Cucui head looked like something we would all like to burn: a coronavirus!” He will have a similar head this year, the COVID delta variant.”

This season, like 2020, has been remarkable. It is vital to keep our Sunday market going to serve as a community space for outdoor gatherings and economic exchange. The return of local musicians this season brought so much joy! We are grateful for all the music, the support of the community and customers, and the work of our vendors!

See you Sunday, October 3, 10:00 a.m. to about 5:00 p.m. ❤️

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